New mom of an Alexandrine parrot

[MominNC]

Hi everyone. I'm a new bird mama. I took a trip to Florida and ended up rescuing an Alexandrine parakeet (parrot) from grandmother in law. Apparently one of her sons got the bird as a fledgling, shes 3 years old now. He tired of the parrot being so noisy which is part of the breed. He kept her in a hotel in the dark, covered. She couldn't even see her food bowl. She'd been re-homed for the past three weeks and had seen great improvement. I walked in and nose to beak it was an instant bond. The parrot took right to me and didn't tolerate being handled by her owners. Needless to say I had to come home with her. Eleven hours drive from Florida to North Carolina we had a good time. I gave her a warning of "bridge" every time we came upon one. She'd hunker down and hold on. Now two weeks home with me I say bridge she hunkers then speaks 'peek a boo' with a laugh following. She's a wonderful permanent addition to the family. I joined the forums here to maybe pick up some tips and tricks I can apply with further training her. She steps up easily, isn't nippy and is entirely spoiled rotten.

 

[Angela19]

Congrats to you, I have a 8 month Alex who I adore. There is tons and tons of info here on anything you could need to know. Good luck and post picks.

 

[merlinsmom13]

What a great story, welcome to the forum. We would love to see pictures of your new baby.

 

[birdybabies]

Your story made me laugh. I find it so funny, that we, the supposedly smart race, decide we are going to add a particular bird species to our family. Go to breeder, rescue, wherever, with that bird species in mind and Taa-dah, another species picks us. Guess who we come home with? Or we dont even intend to get a bird, but guess what, we got picked. Whose the smarter, us or the bird? Have read it so many times here and it has happened to me as well.
Did you go there with the intention of getting this bird or is that just what happened?
Anyway, congrats on your new family member. Whats her name? Dont forget, you must do exactly what she tells you to do. LOL.

 

[MominNC]

hey Birdy! Well glad you asked. Lets go back in time 2.5 years when husband made trip to Florida with daughter to see granny and Disney world. I got a call on final day their trip. He says make room for a cage I'm bringing home a parakeet. I didn't want a bird but a bird is what we got. Then came the second parakeet to keep the first from being lonely. And yes I love the parakeets despite my first grumbling. The first wants nothing to do with being touched. The second will step up for about 10 seconds and she's done.

So this trip of mine to Florida to see Granny I told husband "I am not coming home with a bird!" Two days into the trip I call and say honey I'm sorry I'm coming home with a bird --- a BIG bird. His first response where will we put a cage? I told him I'd figure that out when I got home. So he says alright, bring the parrot home.
I ordered a big cage off the net; freight shipped home. Three days later I was spending 2.5 hours cage building. I evicted my daughters computer and desk from living room to accommodate Holly's hotel. Husband was off on a trip that weekend to car show. He returns to see the nice big cage and doing a double take asks how I managed to get such a big cage into that small space? Well our couches are double recliners so extra heavy. It was pure determination that I managed to move one enough to jigsaw-puzzle a cage in and shove couch back. You'd have thought I was playing Tetris in the living room. Of course I didn't explain it to him. I smiled one of those Mona Lisa enigmatic smiles and said "Come meet Holly." I introduced parrot to daddy. She immediately took his eyeglasses off and started snuggling. So, Daddy who initially resisted the parrot now loves the parrot.

 

[birdybabies]

Smart girly-bird. Amazing how 'daughters" can usually wrap their daddy round their little fingers. Welcome home Holly, you are gunna be sooooo loved.

 

[MominNC]

Pic didn't work. I'll upload straight later.

 

[MominNC]

And here is Holly at last I've figured out how to direct link into my gallery.

 

[pagie]

she is beautiful!!! Jimmy looks such a ruffian compared to Holly and kobe's Medori, but he's moulting and is still a baby really so his feather will come in i suppose. Try a shower with Holly she will love it. I brought a shower perch off ebay, best thing ever. I just say to Jimmy shower and he's on my shoulder and off. He loves it. I posted pics of him enjoying his shower on this thread:

http://www.parrotforums.com/budgies-parakeets-cockatiels/11992-any-alexadrine-lovers-out-there.html


hopefully that will work, I'm very technology unsavvy!

 

[Angela19]

She's beautiful, looks like my Mango. Definitely do baths, Alex's love water and Mango goes crazy when she knows its Bath Time...LOL! And funny little thing, don't know if Holly does this yet. But if Mango see's me eating anything she goes nuts till I give her some. Silly Alex's you gotta love them!

 

[pagie]

Omigod!! Jimmy does that too. Its like he stops mid actvity and makes a beeline for the food, Ive got to be careful eating around him, its like he thinks if its good enough for that human it'll be great for me!!

 

[Remy]

Puck often does that too, and he's not an Alexandrine! LOL

I can't believe they kept her in the dark! Poor baby. I'm SO glad you rescued her!